Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have a copy of the Minister of State's speech. I think there is general agreement that this is happening earlier and earlier each year. I do not know why it is happening particularly early this year. Deputy Ward said that in his constituency it started in June or July this year. It was July or August in my area.

The explosive noise of the bangers seems to be louder than in previous years and I do not remember them ever starting this early. There seems to be greater availability of them. I do not have answers as to why this is happening and in the Minister of State's script, I noted there were no real answers as to why it is a particular problem this year. Some say it is a response to Covid and people are tired and so on.

It is getting earlier and earlier each night. Last night in my area, the first blast I heard was at 4.50 p.m. and it continued through the night. I have talked to people in different communities. One man said a blast went off at about 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. It set off alarms, dogs were barking and it terrified people. People talked of the impact it has on the elderly. In one area, the playground was used as a launching pad and the remnants of the rockets landed on the houses of the senior citizens in the area. One can imagine lying in bed and this stuff hitting the roof. In another area, I know of a man who is seriously ill and rockets hit the back window of his house. One can imagine the terror in that house and this man is terminally ill. There is all that evidence out there.

We are asking for a different response. The Minister launched a campaign today but this has been going on for months in our communities. People are looking for answers and the idea for tonight's debate is to have the Government focus on it and to look for action that will come as a response from the Garda. I appeal to the Minister of State to perhaps go off his script and address some of the issues affecting our communities. This is not an anti-Garda motion. We want to work with our communities and the Garda and we believe we can do better.

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